Your FinOps team is not going to just consist of tech wizards. It is going to consist of representatives from almost every department, along with the leaders of your organization, all there to ensure that the FinOps practices implemented are aligned with the company’s goals. So, that means departments such as engineering and finance are going to be working close together for possibly the first time. However, that can bring some difficulties as both come with their own expectations, responsibilities, and views on the work ahead of them.
So, as you implement a FinOps team into your organization, here is how you help the unlikely duo of engineering and finance to see eye-to-eye.
Establish Clear Goals
Your first step to a successful collaboration is to have clear goals established throughout all the departments. Whether this is to optimize the business’s cloud usage, dial back on resources, find automation opportunities, or implement new processes, everyone should be on board and working together to achieve it. Clear goals can ensure that every department understands what they are working toward and can work together to get there. While each department may have different roles in accomplishing those goals, they will all be on the same page. These goals should be communicated through every step of the journey to ensure departments like finance and engineering understand the big picture and how they both fit into it in order for success to be had.
Set Expectations for Both
If you want polar opposite departments like engineering and finance to see eye-to-eye, you must outline expectations for each of them. What is each department’s goal? What should they both be working towards? Where do their responsibilities cease? Who should they go to from each other’s departments when they have questions? Setting expectations on their responsibilities, communications, and goals both as a department and in the FinOps journey can show each department what they need to be doing and how it pertains to those around them. The best way to get departments working on the same level is to show how each department works together toward a common goal.
Foster Accountability in Both Departments
Once expectations are set, you must move into accountability. This is especially important for departments like engineering and finance, as what one department does impacts the other. If finance lowers the budget, engineering needs to know in order to readjust, and if engineering decides to increase resources or find optimization opportunities, finance needs to know in order to assess the budget. With how intertwined both departments are with each other, accountability needs to be set to ensure they stay within processes, budgets, and roles. Accountability can keep not only the departments in check but also the individuals working in them.
Get Them in the Same Room
It is unlikely that these departments will have much physical time together, but it’s time to change that. Your FinOps team should work collaboratively and meet frequently to ensure the journey is being followed appropriately. Bringing together the engineering and finance departments all in one room can allow them to talk, brainstorm, and listen to the struggles or accomplishments of the other. If you want them to see eye-to-eye, it could be as easy as getting them face-to-face. When they are able to converse about what they are working on, the steps they’ve taken toward goals, and what might be hindering their abilities to work at full capacity, you will have an unstoppable FinOps team.
A successful cloud journey is only done when your FinOps team sees eye-to-eye. If you have further questions or need guidance on how to create a successful FinOps team, contact the team at FinOps Oversight.